Melting Mooka, introduced to us by Zentangle's Project Pack #6 , is a wonderful version of Mooka that can be used to as a string to divide a tile into smaller spaces.
These internal sections, when filled with other tangles, result in a tile that gives the impression of stained glass windows.
This was a fun, playful exercise!
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Generally, now days, I use fewer tangles on a tile that I did when I began 10 years ago. But not always.
Yesterday, I decided to create a complex string and use a lot of different tangles. I had been looking through tiles from years ago and I wanted to see if I could still tangle in that style.
It took longer to choose the tangles than it did to draw them! 17 tangles is a LOT!
How do you challenge yourself? As an artist I’m always looking for different things to try as ways to grow and expand my skills.
Here, this tile was drawn entirely with my left hand. I even signed and dated the back with my left hand.
Why?
Well, first of all, I wanted to see if I could. In addition, drawing with your non-dominant hand builds new neural pathways in your brain. It also challenges you to look at things in a different way, and helps you to understand how your students, those that use a differnt hand to draw, are challenged to follow your instructions!
Market haul.
Yes, it wasn’t that much fun, hauling freight from one planetary market to another. And this time, the products were mostly fruit and woven goods. Nothing dangerous.
But this is what pays for the adventures. It keeps the process going smoothly.
We do the necessary to experience the extraordinary!
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Tangles: Beadlines Echoism Pokeroot Vink Well
Bioluminescence.
She was fascinated by the lamp next to the sofa. She could see the creatures, slowly rotating around some central point. As their bodies moved in they became brighter, while the outer ones dimmed. She wondered what they fed on to create this scintillating glow.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Tangles: Echoism Huggins Molygon Onamato Shattuck
Jumble.
Others always wondered at how so much cargo could come out of such a tiny ship. They just didn’t understand. She’d captured so many universes in her travels. And now she could store infinite amounts in each one. All she had to do is make sure they traveled together!
It has always fascinated me how shading opens up, raises, or pushes back sections of tangles on a tile. Here, this crazy combination took on all kinds of dimension just from shading various edges. Don’t skip shading your tiles. It’s as interesting and meditative as the drawing!
Invasion.
What were they? These small, twisting larve must portend the hatching of something new, something different. She grabbed her nets and basket and pulled up her skirts as she waded in to grab some for closer examination.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Vellum Bristol using a black, Micron pen. Shading done with graphite pencil.
Tangles: Cogwheel Echoism Molygon Squill Striping
Giving thanks.
I have so many things to be thankful for this year, it would make a very long post to list them all. So I am going to tell you that I am grateful for my wonderful husband, beautiful daughters, and fabulous grandchildren. I am thankful for my good health and good life.
I also am very thankful that I discovered Eni Oken. She is a fabulous artist that shares herself, her talent and her knowledge with others. Over this year, learning from her has taken my art to a whole ’nother level, as they say. This tile is another one based on her Tan Treasure video lesson . I think this is my favorite of all the techniques I’ve learned so far!
Leftie-Louie.
This tile was done entirely with my non-dominant hand. That includes the shading and even the date and signature on the back. I was actually surprised at how well it turned out!
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle tile using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Crescent Moon Echoism Fescu Florz Nzeppel Pokeleaf Tipple
Old fashioned.
This tile has several tangles that I haven‘t drawn in some time. And the style is more like what I did years ago than what has evolved since then. Every so often, I think it‘s a good idea to reflect on the past.
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a black Micron pen.
Tangles: Echoism Emingle Finery Florz Inapod Quandry Sedgling Static Stiritup
Flutter.
To me, the two sections with the Queen‘s Crown in them remind me of butterfly wings. I think of them every time I see it.
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle tile using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Bales Chard Echoism Jonqal Pinwheels Queen‘s Crown Vega
Bamboo!
This tile includes the first tangle I designed: Bamboo. While it‘s not an “official” tangle, it‘s still one of my favorites. It works as a filler or a border. You could even use it as a tangelation with Hollibaugh!
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a black Micron pen.
Tangles: Bamboo Chartz Chillon Echoism Flutter Pie Hollibaugh Nebel Spinners Vega
Pop!
Whenever I see Widgets, the tangle in the center here, I‘m reminded of bubbles popping!
Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a black Micron pen.
Tangles: Diva Dance Echoism Quare Screen Swag W-2 Widgets Worms
The process.
One of the things about tangling is that it is a meditative process. I focus on each line I draw, and often don‘t have a clear picture of where the over-all design is going. This is particularly true when I select tangles at random, as I did here.
Sometimes the over-all design works, and sometimes it doesn‘t. But there are days when the process is what is most important.
Busy.
This tile is from a time when I used complicated strings and lots of tangles. But I think there are some interesting things here, that I‘ve further developed. For example, allowing one tangle to flow behind another. I also followed the string from the Cubine into the Striping.
Now days, those concepts are used often when Zentangling, and are specifically taught in classes, tutorials and books!
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle tile using a black, Micron pen.
Zentangle drawn on Official Zentangle Tile using a black, Micron pen.
Tangles: Printemps Nzeppel Chillon Munchin Evoke Echoism